Method and apparatus for leveling spreadable material

ABSTRACT

The present method and structure provides a device for leveling a spreadable material on a surface. The device includes an elongate screed having opposing positions connected to a first connecting member and a second connecting member on the opposing positions forming an assembly. The assembly is at least partially supported by a first skid and a second skid where the first and the second skids provide an offset of the screed from the surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e)to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/534,256, filed on Jan. 5,2004, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates generally to a method and apparatus used inconstruction, and more particularly to a method and apparatus forleveling a spreadable material.

BACKGROUND

When a large load of a spreadable material (e.g., concrete, cement) ispoured in a construction setting, it is important to level it with theleast amount of tolerance possible. One problem with pouring cement, forexample, is that the cement must be leveled and finished quickly. Thisensures that the cement is properly finished before it dries and becomesdifficult to work with.

Present techniques for leveling a spreadable material (e.g., cement,concrete) include having a number of workers to spread out or “pool” thepoured material.

This must be done with a fair amount of care and accuracy to make thefinisher's job easier.

One problem with the current method is that it can be difficult for theworkers to manually pool the material accurately. Another problem isthat the labor involved is substantial and the costs for performing thelabor are tied to the workers performance.

What is needed in the art is a method and apparatus for leveling aspreadable material that is accurate, repeatable and low cost.

SUMMARY

The various embodiments described herein relate to method and apparatusfor leveling a spreadable material. The teachings provided herein solvethe earlier mentioned problems and other problems not stated herein.

In one aspect, the invention provides a device for leveling a spreadablematerial on a surface comprising an elongate screed connected to a firstconnecting member and a second connecting member on opposing positionsof the screed forming an assembly. The assembly is at least partiallysupported by a first skid and a second skid where the first and thesecond skids provide an offset of the screed from the surface.

In another aspect, the invention provides a device for leveling aspreadable material on a surface comprising an elongate angular screedat one angular surface perpendicularly connected on one position of thescreed to a first connecting member and perpendicularly connected on asecond position of the screed to a second connecting member forming anassembly. The screed at a second angular surface is at least partiallysupported by a first adjustable skid and a second adjustable skid. Thefirst and the second adjustable skids are perpendicularly connected onopposing positions of the screed providing an offset of the screed fromthe surface.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for leveling aspreadable material on a surface. The method generally involvesconnecting an elongate screed to a first connecting member at a firstposition and a second connecting member at a second position forming anassembly. The assembly is at least partially supported by connecting afirst skid and a second skid to the screed such that the first and thesecond skids offset the screed from the surface.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method for leveling aspreadable material on a surface. The method generally involvesconnecting an elongate screed to a first connecting member at a firstposition and a second connecting member at a second position forming anassembly. The assembly is at least partially supported by connecting afirst skid and a second skid to the screed such that the first and thesecond skids offset the screed from the surface. The height of thescreed is adjusted by adjusting the height of the first and the secondskids.

In still yet another aspect, the invention provides a method forleveling a spreadable material on a surface. The method generallyinvolves pouring the spreadable material on a surface and placing ascreed assembly at a position about the surface where the spreadablematerial was poured. The screed assembly is moved along the surface inat least one direction where the spreadable material was poured.

This Summary is an overview of some of the teachings of the presentapplication and not intended to be an exclusive or exhaustive treatmentof the present subject matter. Further details about the present subjectmatter are found in the detailed description and appended claims. Otheraspects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the artupon reading and understanding the following detailed description andviewing the drawings that form a part thereof, each of which are not tobe taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention isdefined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Variousembodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a screed assembly in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a screed assembly in accordance withone embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a partial perspective view of a screed, a skid and aconnecting member in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A illustrates a side view of a screed, a skid and a connectingmember in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B illustrates a side view of a screed, a skid and a connectingmember in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the various embodiments. It will be apparent, however,to one skilled in the art that the various embodiments may be practicedwithout some of these specific details. The following description anddrawings provide examples for illustration, but are not intended in alimiting sense and are not intended to provide an exhaustive treatmentof all possible implementations.

It should be noted that references to “an”, “one”, or “various”embodiments in this disclosure are not necessarily to the sameembodiment, and such references contemplate more than one embodiment.

FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate one embodiment of a leveling device 5 forleveling a spreadable material (e.g., concrete, cement, asphalt, gravel,sand) on a surface 10. The leveling device 5 includes an elongate screed15 connected to a first connecting member 20 and a second connectingmember 25 on opposing positions of the screed 15 forming an assembly. Inone embodiment, the assembly is at least partially supported by a firstskid 35 and a second skid 40 which provide an offset of the screed 15from a surface 10.

In one embodiment, the elongate screed 15 is angular (e.g., 900) whereat a first angular surface 21, the screed 15 is perpendicularlyconnected at one position 50 to a first connecting member 20 andperpendicularly connected at a second position 55 to a second connectingmember 25 forming the assembly. In one embodiment, the screed 15, thefirst connecting member 20, and the second connecting member 25 of theleveling device 5 is made of metal (e.g., steel, iron, aluminum). Oneadvantage of utilizing lightweight materials such as aluminum is toallow ease of transport and operation of the leveling device 5.

The screed 15 at a second angular surface 22 is at least partiallysupported by the first and the second skids 35 and 40. In oneembodiment, the skids 35 and 40 are perpendicularly connected onopposing positions 50 and 55 of the screed 15. The height of the screed15 is adjustable from the surface 10 by the adjustment of the first andthe second skids 35 and 40. In addition to perpendicularly connectingthe skids 35 and 40 to the screed 15, the second angular surface 22 isin one embodiment, able to strike off and level excess spreadablematerial (e.g., concrete, cement, asphalt, gravel, sand) on the surface10 as the screed 15 is pushed, pulled or both.

In one embodiment, the first and the second connecting members 20 and 25are distally connected to a first sleeve 80 and a second sleeve 81 onopposing positions 50 and 55 of the screed 15 and proximally connectedto a third sleeve 82 and a fourth sleeve 83 on opposing positions 56 and57 of a vehicle 85 (e.g., a powered shovel 90). In one embodiment, thedistal end 87 of the sleeves 80 and 81 are connected to the opposingpositions 50 and 55 of the screed 15 and an adjacent side 99 toward theproximal end 80 of the sleeves 82 and 83 are connected to the opposingpositions 56 and 57 of the shovel 90. The distal end 87 of the sleeves80 and 81 are connected to the opposing positions 50 and 55 of thescreed 15 and the proximal end 86 of the sleeves 82 and 83 are connectedto the opposing positions 56 and 57 of the shovel 90 by a variety ofmeans (e.g., by welds, by a nut and bolt assembly, by a pin locksystem). In one embodiment, the distal end 87 of the sleeves 80 and 81are perpendicularly connected on opposing positions 50 and 55 of thefirst angular surface 21 of the screed 15 and the proximal end 86 of thesleeves 82 and 83 are adjacently connected on opposing positions 56 and57 on the inside wall 91 of the shovel 90.

In another embodiment, the proximal end 86 of the sleeves 80 and 81slide over the distal end 97 of the first and the second connectingmembers 20 and 25 and the distal end 87 of the sleeves 82 and 83 slideover the proximal end 95 of the first and the second connecting members20 and 25. The proximal end 86 of the sleeves 80 and 81 each contain atleast one hole 65 that corresponds with at least one hole 65 on thedistal end 97 of the first and the second connecting members 20 and 25.

In one embodiment, the sleeves 82 and 83 each contain at least one hole65 that corresponds with at least one hole 65 on the proximal end 95 ofthe first and the second connecting members 20 and 25.

In one embodiment, the interconnection of the proximal end 86 of thesleeves 80 and 81 to the distal end 97 of the first and the secondconnecting members 20 and 25 and the interconnection of the distal end87 of the sleeves 82 and 83 to the proximal end 95 of the first and thesecond connecting members 20 and 25 is achieved by utilizing nuts 71,bolts 84 and washers 72. For example, a threaded bolt 84 supported by awasher 72 is slid through each of the mating holes 65 of the sleeves 80,81, 82, and 83 and the connecting members 20 and 25. A threaded nut 71supported by a washer 72 is fitted and subsequently turned over eachprotruding bolt 84 locking the sleeves 80, 81, 82, and 83 to theconnecting members 20 and 25. In another example, a pin is slid througheach of the mating holes 65 of the sleeves 80, 81, 82, and 83 and theconnecting members 20 and 25 locking the sleeves 80, 81, 82, and 83 toeach respective end of the connecting members 20 and 25. In oneembodiment, the length of the connecting members 20 and 25 are adjustedby aligning one or more holes 65 of the sleeves 80, 81, 82, and 83 withone or more corresponding holes 65 of the connecting members 20 and 25at each respective end. Other connections are possible without departingfrom the scope of the present application (e.g., by welds, by a nut andbolt assembly, by a pin lock system).

In yet another embodiment, the vehicle 85 powers the shovel 90simultaneously pushing, pulling or both the first connecting member 20attached to the one position 50 of the screed 15 and the secondconnecting member 25 attached to the second position 55 of the screed15. The screed 15 distal to the shovel 90, is pushed, pulled or bothabout the spreadable material (e.g., concrete, cement, asphalt, gravel,sand) leveling off the spreadable material about the surface 10. In oneembodiment, the screed 15 is adjusted to level off the spreadablematerial to a thickness of at least 1 inch.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate one embodiment of the adjustable skids 35 and40. In one embodiment, the first and the second adjustable skids 35 and40 include threaded adjusters 60. For example, the height of the screed15 is raised or lowered by adjusting a threaded end 62 of the skids 35and 40 through the hole 65 located on opposing positions 50 and 55 onthe second angular surface 22 of the screed 15 and by locking eachthreaded end 62 of the skids 35 and 40 to a fixed position by a lock nut71. In one embodiment, each hole 65 located at opposing positions 50 and55 on the second angular surface 22 of the screed 15 is threaded toreceive the threaded end 62 of the skids 35 and 40. For example, theheight of the screed 15 is adjusted by turning the skids 35 and 40(e.g., clockwise) through the threaded holes 65 of the screed 15. In yetanother embodiment, a lock nut 71 is used to lock the skids 35 and 40into position to prevent the skids 35 and 40 from turning under the loadof moving about the spreadable material (e.g., concrete, cement,asphalt, gravel, sand) over the surface 10. Other shapes are possiblewithout departing from the scope of the present application. Forexample, the screed 15 in one embodiment includes an edge 77 with arake-like configuration suited to spread the spreadable material on thesurface 10.

In yet another embodiment, one of the adjustable skids 35 or 40 isadjusted to a different height from the other skid 35 or 40. Forexample, the skid 35 on one position 50 of the screed 15 is adjustedlower than the skid 40 on the second position 55 by passing the threadedend 62 of the skid 35 through the hole 65 located on the second angularsurface 22 further than passing the threaded end 62 of the skid 40through the hole 65 located on the second angular surface 22 of thescreed 15. Each threaded end 62 of the skids 35 and 40 are locked intotheir respective positions by a lock nut 71. The different heights ofthe skids 35 and 40 allow the screed 15 to be set at an angle. Thepushing, pulling or both of the spreadable material (e.g., concrete,cement) by the screed 15 set at an angle allows an inclined movement ofthe spreadable material where an inclined finished surface is desired.

The skids 35 and 40 include a variety of shapes. For example, FIG. 4Aillustrates one embodiment of the skids 35 and 40 with a flat planarsurface 74 at a distal end 75. FIG. 4B illustrates another embodimentwhere the ends 73 of the planar surface 74 of the skids 35 and 40 arebeveled. One advantage of the skids 35 and 40 having beveled ends 73 is,for example, to assist the planar surface 74 of the skids 35 and 40 toglide over the surface 10 (e.g., gravel) and prevent the planar surface74 of the skids 35 and 40 from digging into the surface 10 as theleveling device 5 is pushed, pulled, or both about the spreadablematerial.

In yet another embodiment, the screed 15 is fitted with a laser deviceused with a horizontal laser beam to provide planar orientation as towhether the spreadable material (e.g., concrete, cement, asphalt,gravel, sand) on the surface 10 is level. A laser receiver is mounted,for example, on the top surface 23 of the second angular surface 22 ofthe screed 15. The laser receiver is mounted on the screed 15 by anysuitable means (e.g., a mount bracket welded or bolted to the screed15). The laser receiver is adapted to receive a laser beam from a lasersource to indicate whether the laser receiver is higher or lower withrespect to the laser beam. By looking at the laser receiver, theoperator is able to determine whether the spreadable material on thesurface 10 is at the appropriate level relative to the laser beam. Anoperator of the screed 15 is able to make adjustments to the height ofthe material by repeated motions over areas exceeding a desired heightvariation. In one embodiment, the screed 15 is equipped with means forautomatically adjusting the force applied to the screed 15 forconsistent leveling of material. In one embodiment, the screed 15 isequipped for means for varying the height of the screed 15 at one ormore of the skids 74. In one variation of this embodiment, a laseralignment means is attached to the screed 15 to provide a closed loopfeedback of position of one or more points on the screed 15. Thisembodiment allows for continuous adjustment of screed 15 height forrougher terrains and will provide a very smooth spread of the spreadablematerial. This embodiment also provides other features, including, butnot limited to, leveling at different pitches to provide controllablesloping of the spreadable material.

This description has set forth numerous characteristics and advantagesof various embodiments and details of structure and function of variousembodiments, but is intended to be illustrative and not intended in anexclusive or exhaustive sense. Changes in detail, material andmanagement of parts, order of process and design may occur withoutdeparting from the scope of the appended claims and their legalequivalents.

1. A device for leveling a spreadable material on a surface, comprising:an elongate screed including opposing positions connected to a firstconnecting member and a second connecting member, the screed, firstconnecting member and second connecting member forming an assembly,wherein the assembly is at least partially supported by a first skid anda second skid, the first and the second skids providing an offset of thescreed from the surface.
 2. The device for leveling a spreadablematerial of claim 1, wherein the offset of the screed is independentlyadjustable from the surface by the first skid and the second skid. 3.The device for leveling a spreadable material of claim 2, wherein endsof the first and the second connecting members are adapted forattachment to a vehicle, the screed distal to the vehicle.
 4. The devicefor leveling a spreadable material of claim 1, wherein the first and thesecond adjustable skids include threaded adjusters.
 5. The device forleveling a spreadable material of claim 1, wherein the screed includessteel.
 6. The device for leveling a spreadable material of claim 1,wherein the screed includes iron.
 7. The device for leveling aspreadable material of claim 1, wherein the screed includes aluminum. 8.The device for leveling a spreadable material of claim 1, wherein thefirst and the second adjustable skids include threaded adjusters andwherein ends of the first and the second connecting members are adaptedfor attachment to a vehicle, the screed distal to the vehicle.
 9. Thedevice for leveling a spreadable material of claim 1, further comprisingmeans for continuous adjustment of a height of the screed by one or moreof the skids.
 10. A method for leveling a spreadable material on asurface, comprising: connecting an elongate screed to a first connectingmember at a first position and a second connecting member at a secondposition forming an assembly; at least partially supporting the assemblyby connecting a first skid and a second skid to the screed, the firstand the second skids offsetting the screed from the surface.
 11. Themethod for leveling a spreadable material according to claim 10, whereinconnecting the first and the second connecting members includesconnecting ends of the first and the second connecting members to avehicle, the screed distal to the vehicle.
 12. A method for leveling aspreadable material on a surface, comprising: connecting an elongatescreed to a first connecting member at a first position and a secondconnecting member at a second position forming an assembly; at leastpartially supporting the assembly by connecting a first skid and asecond skid to the screed, the first and the second skids offsetting thescreed from the surface; and adjusting the height of the screed byadjusting the height of the first and the second skids.
 13. The methodfor leveling a spreadable material according to claim 12, whereinconnecting the first and the second connecting members includeconnecting an end of the first and the second connecting members to avehicle, the screed distal to the vehicle.
 14. The method for leveling aspreadable material according to claim 12, wherein moving the vehicleconnecting the first and the second connecting members includes movingthe screed over the spreadable material.
 15. A method for leveling aspreadable material on a surface, comprising: pouring the spreadablematerial on a surface; placing a screed assembly at a position about thesurface where the spreadable material was poured; and moving the screedassembly along the surface to level the spreadable material using firstand second connecting members connected to the screed, the screed atleast partially supported by a first skid and a second skid.
 16. Themethod for leveling a spreadable material of claim 15, wherein movingthe screed along the surface in at least one direction includes movingthe screed by a vehicle, the screed distal to the vehicle.
 17. Themethod for leveling a spreadable material of claim 15, wherein movingthe screed along the surface in at least one direction includes movingthe screed by at least one manual operator, the screed distal to the atleast one manual operator.
 18. The method for leveling a spreadablematerial of claim 15, wherein pouring the spreadable material on asurface includes pouring concrete on the surface.
 19. The method forleveling a spreadable material of claim 15, wherein pouring thespreadable material on a surface includes pouring cement on the surface.20. The method for leveling a spreadable material of claim 15, whereinthe screed level is independently adjustable by varying heights of thefirst skid and the second skid.
 21. The method for leveling a spreadablematerial of claim 20, wherein the screed level is automaticallyadjusted.
 22. The method for leveling a spreadable material of claim 15,wherein the screed level is independently adjustable by varying heightof the first skid.
 23. The method for leveling a spreadable material ofclaim 22, wherein the screed level is automatically adjusted.